Major Motions from the YALSA Board of Directors Annual 2006 Meeting

The YALSA Board passed the following items at their meetings at Annual:

Supported sending up to two members to the ALA Emerging Leaders initiative, dependent upon YALSA candidates being accepted and funding being available.

Changed the charges for Division and Membership Promotion, Publishers’ Liaison, Outreach to Young Adults with Special Needs, and Research committees to remove the awards and grants responsibilities given to them, and established five juries (including one to choose the Great Book Giveaway winner, formerly the responsibility of the Executive Committee), with either three or five members each, whose sole purpose is to select the award winners, one for each award/grant. Jury members will serve a one-year appointment.

Appointed a Board sub-committee to investigate the pros and cons of (1) adding an intern to the Board; (2) adding an at-large Board member; (3) adding a secretary to the Board. This sub-committee should report to the full Board at Midwinter with their findings.

Voted that Board Document #5 be approved. This motion would change the number of votes necessary for a title to be included on the official Quick Picks list from 6 to 7. This change would be in effect as of Midwinter 2007.

Charged the Professional Development Committee with providing oversight and direction to YALSA’s e-learning program as detailed in Board Document #6. The Organization and Bylaws committee will update this committee’s charge.

Approved the guidelines for the position of Youth Participation Coordinator as written in Board Document #7 and voted that these guidelines be reevaluated at Annual 2007.

Changed the Financial Advancement Task Force to a standing committee of five members, with the Fiscal Officer serving as a consultant. A virtual member would be permitted.

Accepted the proposal from membership to form an Anime Discussion Group to begin at the end of Annual 2006.

Adopted the proposed Business Plan with the removal of the reference to the marketing plan and the addition of the section on the Friends of YALSA.

Adopted the FY07 budget as written in Board Document 11.

Accept the current slate of YALSA programs in concept as presented for Annual 2007, including the “Video Games as a Service” proposal.

Accepted the Communications Plan in concept and thanked the Communications Task Force for their hard work.

Returned the proposed procedures concerning the Great Graphic Novel Committee with the instruction that the procedures be reconciled with the approved task force guidelines, and that they work with Pam Spencer Holley and Nick Buron and return amended procedures to the Executive Committee by September 30.

Directed the Publishers’ Liaison Committee to work on the Support YA Lit Day Initiative with the YALSA office, beginning immediately, with results to be reviewed at Annual 2007.

Voted to add an international representative to the Virtual Regional Advisory Board.

Directed the Website Advisory Committee to establish guidelines for creating and maintaining a wiki, and to submit a report to the Executive Committee by October 1 that would include the pros and cons of open vs. member-only access and the possible need for a content moderator.

Charged the Youth Participation Committee with developing a survey to solicit information from members and publishers about their (and their teens’) interest in participating in a teen summit, and report to the YALSA Executive Committee by October 1.

Voted to create a Student Interest Group of YALSA, pending determination that at least 15 of the signators on the presented petition are YALSA members.

Passed the following resolutions for departing Board members:

Resolution for Francisca Goldsmith

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith has served for three years as a member of the Board of Directors of YALSA with style, grace, humor, and incisive wit; and

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith constantly has to explain to people (even fellow Board members) that her name is Francisca, not Francesca, but manages to do so without losing her temper; and

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith has ably and skillfully balanced a demanding career at the ever-controversial Berkeley Public Library with YALSA activities, serving as an SUS and InfoPeople trainer, and writing the book Graphic Novels Now; and

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith can always be relied upon to come to conference with an interesting story, such as a cross-country train trip; and

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith has an eye for the jewelry potential of the ribbons attached to her conference badge; and

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith has generously educated her fellow Board members on various subjects, including the value of single malt Scotch (preferably from Islay, medium peat, never on ice); and

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith can be relied upon to provide the Board with information on past decisions by pulling out one of the teeny notebooks from the Francisca archive and finding the pertinent quotation; and

Whereas Francisca Goldsmith has ably served as liaison for various YALSA committees, including Audiobook Selection, Graphic Novels, YA Galley, Research, Printz, and the Morris Task Force; and

Whereas during her term of office on the YALSA Board, Francisca Goldsmith was also the chair of the 2006 Pre-conference “Reading with Your Ears”;

Whereas Francisca served with two other Mothers of One Son on the Outstanding Achievement Award Board subcommittee;

Therefore be it resolved that the YALSA Board of Directors express its gratitude and appreciation for her dedication during her term of office, and wish her well in her future endeavors.

Resolution for David Mowery

Whereas after many years on the Alex Award Committee, David was elected to the Board of Directors, and quickly became President of YALSA coincidentally at the same time that YALSA’s Deputy Director returned to school to work on her doctorate; YALSA’s increased membership forced the decision to give up ALA's small division stipend and earn its own way; and ALA decided that a full-time Executive Director was needed, David had to quickly help interview candidates for this new slot and then “break in” Beth Yoke to the YALSA way of doing things, and

Whereas David handled all these transitional matters with great aplomb and tremendous patience, accompanied by lots of Acid-Ease medications and stiff martinis; while always dressed in a style worthy of
GQ’s cover, as evidenced by his tasseled loafers and other noteworthy shoes from his extensive collection; and

Whereas David ably served YALSA as President-Elect, President and Past President, in those same tasseled loafers, bringing honor to the Brooklyn Public Library, bestowing Brooklyn Public Library mementoes on all the Board members and earning the disdain of his cat for his continual absences from home; and

Whereas during his presidential term David not only oversaw the launch of the new strategic plan and the increase of
YALS from two to four issues, but also, and most importantly, helped triple the cash donations for TRW 2005 thanks to his well-placed, and well-heeled, contacts; and

Whereas his presidential term also saw the fourth SUS training with the awarding of three scholarships from Highsmith; 125 attendees at the Best of the Best preconference, with publication of the newest Best of the Best pamphlet; the launching of YALSA’s mentoring program; the establishment of the Great Graphic Novels for Teens and the 5
th anniversary of the Printz Award; and

Whereas David kept the most meticulous meeting notes of any YALSA President, resulting in no Board member ever being able to weasel out of a task; wielded the gavel with the deftness of an executioner; and tried to include all Board members in discussions; and

Whereas David continued to serve YALSA even during his immediate past-Presidential term when he hosted the first National TRW Kick-Off event with Q’orianka Kilcher and Jacqueline Woodson at Brooklyn Public Library; and

Whereas David’s sense of humor and fair-play has earned him respect and friendship from all YALSA members;

Therefore be it resolved that the YALSA Board of Directors thank him for the service he gave to the Association and wish him well in all future endeavors.

Resolution for Jessica Mize

Whereas Jessica Mize has served for three years as a member of the Board of Directors of YALSA with humor, enthusiasm, diligence and patience; and

Whereas Jessica Mize has served well on the Morris, Library School Database, and other Board subcommittees, including Chairing the Outstanding Achievement Award Group with other mothers of one son; and

Whereas Jessica Mize has successfully balanced her Board duties, her 2007 Printz Committee duties, her Serving the Underserved Trainers duties, her state association duties and her new job duties; and

Whereas Jessica Mize’s young son has supported her three years of travel for the YALSA Board; and

Whereas Jessica Mize has been a supportive liaison for multiple YALSA committees and even agreeable about adding new ones all the time; and

Whereas Jessica Mize has been a mentor for new YALSA members from her area especially; and

Whereas Jessica Mize’s attitude knits together her love of young adults, their literature, and their librarians;

Therefore be it resolved that the YALSA Board of Directors express their gratitude and appreciation for her dedication during her term of office, and wish her well in her future endeavors.